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Peters Family History

Peters Surname Meaning

English, Scottish, Dutch, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Peter. This surname (mainly of German origin) is also found in Sweden, Denmark, France (Alsace and Lorraine), and some other European countries.

In North America, it has absorbed various cognates and their derivatives from other languages, such as Albanian Pjetraj and Pjetrushi, patronymics from the personal name Pjetër ‘Peter’ and its pet form Pjetrush; see also below and also examples at Peterson.

Irish: Anglicized form (translation) of Gaelic Mac Pheadair ‘son of Peter’. Americanized form of Dutch and North German Pieters.

Americanized form of French Pitre.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Peters family from?

You can see how Peters families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Peters family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Peters families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,920 Peters families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Peters's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Peters families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Peters surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Peters ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Peters. 7% of Peters men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Peters women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Peters were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Peters | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Gardener
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Peters family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 868,000 census records available for the last name Peters. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Peters census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Peters

Passenger Lists

There are 128,000 immigration records available for the last name Peters. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Peters immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 147,000 military records available for the last name Peters. For the veterans among your Peters ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Peters military records

You've only scratched the surface of Peters family history

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What is the average Peters lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Peters life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Peters in 1940 was 52, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Peters

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Peters ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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